Monday, August 31, 2015

We all love to get free stuff no matter what we have to do to get it. Am I right? Yeah....I'm right.

Recently, I had an amazing opportunity to be a part of an nvite only pre-event press/media gifting lounge hosted by GBK Productions on September 18-19 at an exclusive location in Beverly Hills, California in honor of the 2015 Emmy nominees and presenters. As part of the excitement, I decided to give away a pair of the earrings that are being gifted at this prestigious event. The winner will be announced on Monday, September 21st at 10 am.

Rules: You may enter daily until the contest ends on September 18th at Midnight. Click the link below and follow the instructions. Each task released 5 entry points. Tasks include: Sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and leaving a comment below.

Measure wrist. Place tape measure
around jig and place a peg at each end of your wrist measurement in the center of the rows. Skip over one row and begin placing pegs into the top row of the jig skipping every other
hole until you reach your end peg. Place pegs in the next to last row
of the jig skipping every other hole until you reach your end peg.
Pegs should be diagonal from the top row, not in line with it.

Make a loop with round nose pliers in
one end of the wire. Place the loop over your anchor peg. Wrap the
wire over each peg forming a wave. Do not wrap around your stop peg. Slip wire gently off jig.

Bend the anchor loop sideways so that
it is perpendicular to the wire.

Measure one inch from the last wave and
make a 90º bend towards the waves. Fold the wire down back so that
the wire end now runs parallel to the waves. Measure about ½ inch
from the bend and trim off extra wire. Press the bend close together
so it will easily slide through the anchor loop forming a clasp.

Adjust any odd-shaped bends in the wave
with round nose and flat nose pliers. If needed, adjust the openings of the waves with the barrel of a Sharpie®™Marker.

Working with short pieces of 24 gauge
wire, attach gemstones to each bend of the wave except the bends
closest to the clasp.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

We are pleased to announce Raziela Designs, in association with The Artisan Group®, will participate in an invitation-only luxury pre-event celebrity gift lounge hosted by GBK Productions on September 18-19, 2015 at an exclusive location in Beverly Hills, California in honor of the Emmy nominees and presenters.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Last week I gave a review of a two wire jigsPrima Bead has available on their site and I told you I would be posting tutorials using both jigs. Here is the very first of those tutorials. This particular one is using the flat or regular jig. It is a very versatile tutorial that can be easily customized to your tastes. Your end result will be a lightweight and fashionable pair of earrings.

This thing is totally cool. It is a round jig base with evenly spaced rows and columns of holes. Pegs go through the holes and are secured with some sort of flexible plastic fasteners that slip over the peg ends. This jig allows you to create wire bangles and cuff bracelets with ease as well as curved earring components. The jig retails for $15.99 on Prima Bead and comes with 20 pegs and fasteners as well as an instruction booklet.

It is a very easy to use jig and the pegs really stay in play as you work. I have used up to 16 gauge wire on the jig without any trouble. To remove your design, simply slip the fasteners off the bottom of the pegs and remove the pegs. The design will fall off with ease. You can even make those super cute and trendy adjustable bangle charm bracelets with this bad boy.

Prima Bead also offers a flat wire jig for those who are just starting out. It retails for only $7.49 and comes with two colors of practice wire, 21 various sized plastic pegs and instruction booklet. There is one really large peg, two smaller pegs, two medium size pegs and 16 small pegs. The pegs stay securely in the jig without any fasteners. This is a great beginner jig for simple projects. You can create filigree connectors, hook and eye clasps, and even ear wires with this jig. If you are just creating simplistic designs, then this is a great jig to use.

This jig can be a bit of a learning curve when you first look at it, but don't be intimidated. Once you figure out what row lines up with which column, you will have it licked. The instruction booklet has two blank templates for you to sketch out designs on.

I found three minor drawbacks to this tool. One is again the pegs. There is not any extra pack of pegs that can be purchased as yet. So, be careful as not to lose them. The second drawback to this jig is there are only two blank templates. But this is an easy fix. Simply photocopy or scan them. The final drawback is the jig cannot handle heavier gauge wire. 16 gauge wire is a bit of a stretch for the jig. It can be done as long as the wire is aluminum or dead soft copper wire. It is, after all, just a beginner jig.

While you are visiting the Prima Bead site, check out the new look. Also, make sure to check out the link at the bottom of the page for their loyalty program. Be sure to sign up and let them know you found about about it here!

Instructions:Put a heavy gauge jump ring through the hole of the Swarovski pendant. Connect the 4mm heavy gauge jump ring to the first jump ring and set aside. Create 8 Swarovski crystal bicone dangles using headpins and form a loop. Set aside.

Cut 36 inches of large link chain and set aside. Cut 36 inches of organza ribbon and set aside.

Remove cork from mini-bottle. Using a toothpick smear E-6000 to the inside of the keepsake bottle necklace and replace cork.

Form a Loop at the end of the wire. Press the wire against the neck of the bottle and wrap around the neck about three times.

Take the tail of the wire just past the loop and curl backward and thread the tail back through the loop.

Create a spiral with your fingers. Adjust the wraps with round nose pliers to make sure the spiral is smooth

Wrap around the top of the cork two times and pull around and across
the top of the cork. Using the largest barrel of bail making pliers
form a triple wrap and trim the wire flush against the cork.

Using a tooth pick, smear glue into the opening in the wraps of wire at the top of the bottle to secure the wire and allow to dry.

Using a toothpick, smear E-6000 onto the bottom of the bottle and one side of the bottle and begin placing on the flatbacks varying the sizes and colors.

Pick a pattern that is pleasing to you and have fun! Allow to dry.

Open the link of the chain as you would a jump ring - from side to side.

Hook it to the bail of the bottle, and slide into the last link of the other end of the chain. Close the link.

Open a 6mm jump ring and slide on a 6mm, 4mm bicone, and close the ring. Open another jump ring, thread through the first jump ring and slide one a 6mm and a 4mm bicone. Repeat until you get to the last jump ring.

Use a heavy gauge jump ring and thread through the last regular jump ring and slide on the last 6mm bicone dangle, 4mm bicone dangle and the 4mm jump ring of the Swarovski pendant. Attach to the bail of the bottle.

Thread the ribbon onto the large yarn needle. Beginning at the back of the chain, skip the center link and thread through the next skipping every other link. Make sure to leave a eight inch tail of ribbon.

Do not pull tight or the ribbon could snag on the lengths of the chain. Pass the needle in the opposite direction of the the tail of the ribbon.

Smooth out the chain to make sure it isn't bunched up and the ribbon isn't pulled too tight.

Tie a loose overhand knot and then a bow. Trim the ribbon ends. Treat ends with Fray-No-More and apply a dab of Sew-No-More to the center of the bow.

If you find the "Florida" fading or chipping off, repair with a Sharpie and seal with clear fingernail polish.